A Christmas Carol
by M-to-the-J Productions
Summary: Hiei Jaganshi always detested Christmas. But when three ghosts come to show him the past, present, and future, will it change his mind on the cheerful holiday? Based on Charles Dickens' work.


Mi-mama: Welcome to...

JJ: No. No! No 'Welcome to...' That annoys me!

Mi-mama: ¬¬

JJ: ... Well, I was raised to tell the truth.

Mi-mama: ... OK, this is _my _first story.

JJ: And my... 22nd(?) story... _Ese, _I rule.

Mi-mama: ... Well, this is a little early (and a little long), but I saw the show a few nights back and wanted to make a story with the plot. JJ and I are _just using the idea. _We didn't come up with the idea by ourselves-

JJ: 'Cause we're _idiotas._

Mi-mama: _PENDEJO!! _Anyway, here's 'A Christmas Carol'. :3

**_DISCLAIMER_: **Mi-mama and JJ Jackson don't own 'YuYu Hakusho', and they aren't smart enough to think of an idea like this, so... they don't own really anything in this story 'cept a few OCs that are barely mentioned...

**_WARNING_: **We took out a few characters from the original, so if you see the characters we took out and the few characters we added in, don't review saying 'Hey, you took out Fezziwig!' We know that, so please, don't point out the obvious. You don't know how annoying that is. ¬¬º

* * *

The icy wind whipped at the faces of two men. Both were wearing light brown overcoats. The ponderous man slowly placed his hands under his armpits, his teeth chattering loudly. The other man cupped his hands, brought them to his mouth, and he blew into it, attempting to keep warm.

The two were silent, watching some pedestrians pass them with funny looks on their faces. The silence seemed to grow awkward as the bulkier man coughed loudly, breaking the ice.

"T-th-this is th-the w-w-WORST winter d-d-d-d-day E-EVER!!" he shouted, stuttering. The man with greased back raven hair glared at him.

"O-of c-c-c-course, K-K-Kuwabara!" he said antagonistically, mocking the man's stuttering. Kuwabara's eyebrows dropped into a glare. The man chortled.

"Grr..." Kuwabara let out a low, fearful growl. The man shook his head, peering into a semi-dirty window. He saw man with long, fiery red hair, typing at a computer.

"Man, Kurama is _so _lucky to be inside, where it's nice and warm. Whereas, I'm stuck with an idiot." Kuwabara glared at his friend.

"Shut it, Urameshi!" he barked, starting to burn from anger. The man snickered.

"Well, am I lying?" the man shot back, a smirk taking over his face. Kuwabara twitched, trying hard to keep a weird, twisted smile on his face.

As the two began to talk, err-... Argue, inside, the man with the perfect ruby hair, and the beautiful emerald eyes, he looked a bit miserable, to say the least.

He looked a little thin and, though his face was still perfectly structured, he still seemed pale. And he also had dark rings at the bottom of his eyes from the many sleepless nights as he worked late, putting in more hours, so when the big day, Christmas, came along, he would have the day off.

"I hope Hiei lets me out earlier than usual. I have to go home to my family, wrap the presents, or what's left of them, and help cook," he muttered softly, staring blankly at the screen. He seemed almost robotic. "And I have to leave with Yusuke and Kuwabara..." he added.

"Yazu! What the hell are you doing?!" a voice barked. Kurama jumped, suddenly feeling sick. He respected his boss as he should, but Hiei, his boss, still scared him. Kurama sank into his chair, craning his head towards the exit.

There was a few beautiful women, wearing faux coats and hats, obviously rich. They must have been gossiping when they all glanced at Kurama. They smiled seductively. He felt a bit uncomfortable.

"Buh-bye Kurama!" the women yelled cheerfully, waving at Kurama. They blew him kisses. He smiled lightly. "Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" He simply nodded at them, making the girls start to whisper frantically.

"You..." a dark voice whispered in Kurama's ear, sending chills down the man's spine.

"B-Boss," Kurama stated, trying to sound casual as he typed. The two were both silent, only hearing some people whisper and even more people type, like Kurama.

The man's gravity-defying black hair had a white starburst in it, making him look mean, as well as his death glare with his beady crimson eyes. If looks could kill, hoo boy, many people would be dead from that glare.

Kurama bit his lower lip as he closed all his windows on the computer, setting his boss off.

"What. The. Hell. Are. You. Up to?" Hiei asked slowly, still in his dark and mean tone.

"Sh-shutting d-down for the d-day..." Kurama gulped loudly, taking a risk. "Hiei-"

"You address me as 'Boss'!" Hiei snarled, grabbing the man's slender neck. Kurama gasped as he sat in a state of initial shock. His eyes looked towards the desk, avoiding Hiei's reflection off the black screen of his computer.

"Must I always spell things out for you?" Hiei asked angrily, making some of the co-workers look at the two in a funny way. "Always. Address. Me. As. 'Boss'." Kurama nodded quickly, too afraid to do anything else.

Then, the man with fiery red hair decided to take a huge risk.

"B-Boss, may I get t-tomorrow offfff..." He trailed off as Hiei's rough hand released him. He felt a little better, but fear still made Kurama tremble. They were both silent, making it difficult for Kurama to breathe.

"For what?" Hiei asked suddenly, crossing his arms. Kurama gulped again as he slowly turned to face his boss.

"Umm... B-because I have a wife at home. Plus, I-I have to see my mother... And i-it's Christmas..."

"Hn." Kurama felt all hope was lost when... "Fine, take the day off." Hiei walked away, his boots making a squeaky sound as he barked at the co-workers to get going on their work.

Kurama blinked a few times, letting the words sink in.

"Minamino! Get your ass outta here, or you can forget about taking Christmas off!" Hiei's voice snapped in the distance. Kurama jumped up, a small smile forming on his lips. He knew even Hiei had a heart.

"... Hiei- Err... Boss!" Kurama called out cheerfully. Hiei whipped around, his crimson eyes widening in shock and anger.

"Minamino, I warn you..." Hiei threatened, holding up his fist. Kuarma smiled widely.

"Have a..."

"Minamino!"

"Merry-"

"MINAMINO!!" Hiei barked, causing everyone in hearing distance to turn their heads silently to watch the two. Kurama sighed.

"OK Boss..." Hiei gave a quick nod, thinking Kurama was leaving when... "Have a Merry Christmas!" Kurama shouted, turning around and running as fast he could out the door. Hiei twitched, but he painfully let it slide.

Bells jingled lightly as Kurama opened the exit door, humming.

"Geez dude, why does Hiei hate you so much?" a familiar voice asked from behind. Kurama turned around.

"Hey Yusuke, Kuwabara," he greeted cheerfully. Yusuke nodded. Kuwabara was sporting a black eye, Yusuke was holding his bleeding mouth. Kurama noticed it immediately. "You two need to stop getting into fist fights." They nodded.

"But Kurama, you never answered my question. Why does Hiei hate you so much? You used to be his favorite!" Yusuke exclaimed, causing heads to turn and whispers to be heard. Kurama smacked his forehead.

"Yusuke, please shut up! I'm lucky to even be getting Christmas off. Last year, I _had _to work-"

"Kurama..." Yusuke and Kuwabara huffed. Kurama knew he wasn't going to avoid this conversation, so he sighed softly and began to explain.

"I married Hiei's twin sister, Yuki-"

"NO FREAKIN' WAY!!" the two shouted, making more of the co-workers exiting stop their steps and watch them. Kurama saw this and groaned. He grabbed his thin, black jacket and put it on.

"See? He hates me for that, since she and I live in poverty, _and _have three kids, one of which needs more care," Kurama explained softly as the trio walked away from his desk.

"Ahh..." Yusuke muttered inwardly. "That's why Hiei hates you..." Kuwabara shook his head as Kurama slouched.

"Well, actually-" Kurama began to explain, but was cut off by...

"Buh-bye, Minamino! Have a jolly Christmas!" one co-worker yelled as he ran in a different direction. Kurama managed a half-smile.

"Yeah, you too!" he shouted back just as gleefully. As happy as he seemed, Kurama felt a pain in his chest, but he hid it with a smile.

"Anyway, what were you sayin'?" Kuwabara asked, tilting his head slightly as he shoved his bulky, numb hands into his pockets. Kurama nearly froze as he gulped loudly.

"Err... Hiei doesn't actually _know _Yukina and I have kids." Kuwabara stopped his tracks and gave Kurama a bewildered expression. Kurama groaned, tears forming at the brim of his eyes.

Yusuke gave Kurama a comforting look as he began to think.

_"It's a-no wonder why Hiei hates him now," _Yusuke thought depressingly, thinking of the beautiful vixen that stole Kurama's heart, yet made life at work so difficult.

Whereas, Hiei Jaganshi was in his office, counting the money that the employees had made for _him. _He slammed the bag containing the money onto his desk in rage.

"Those bastards and bitches haven't even made this week's quota!" he screamed angrily. Then, he suddenly felt a smirk taking over his lips at a realization. "That just means less money for them..." Hiei cackled.

"Unk!" a bubbly voice called out from behind the Jaganshi twin's mahogany door. Hiei stopped cackling as his eyebrows drooped into a glare.

"Come in," he shouted in an annoyed tone. The door was kicked open as a small boy with amethyst eyes and oily black hair marched in, a cheeky smile splattered on his face.

"Hey Uncle! How're you doin'?" the little boy asked happily, showing his pearly white teeth. Hiei let out a grunt, causing the boy to frown. "Err..."

"I'm fine, Shura. How's your dad?" Hiei asked gruffly. The little boy, Shura, shrugged half-heartedly. He was staring at the floor boards as he answered;

"Fine, I guess... He wants you to come over for Christmas," he said, brightening up a bit. "We're gonna have peanut brittle, kimchee stew, ramen, chocolate, Pocky, and alot more!" Shura added, licking his soft lips as his eyes gleamed at the thought of the delectables. Hiei scowled.

"Kimchee. Stew?" he said slowly. Shura nodded. "Great..." Hiei spat out disgustedly. "I once got gastritis from that foul stew." Shura looked heartbroken.

"Oh." Things remained silent. The only thing heard were the breaths and the clock ticking away. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Shura fanned himself with his hand as he slowly walked over to Hiei, taking something out of his pocket. Shura's old leather shoes were soaking wet and dirty from walking around the town to get to his uncle. Hiei noticed his shoes and slowly curled his nose upwards, like he was smelling something bad.

"H-here. Dad told me to tell you 'Merry Christmas!' and, in case you didn't wanna come," Shura said sadly, looking towards the ground, "that you should have this." He gave Hiei a small box that was wrapped poorly.

Hiei shook his head in disgust as he snatched it from the boy's hand. Shura jumped as he slowly backed away from his uncle.

"You can leave," Hiei snapped. Shura nodded meekly as he turned around and ran towards the door, nearly slipping as he did so. He opened the door and slammed it on his way out. Hiei growled. "That boy..." His crimson eyes darted towards the box.

"Why the hell not?" he muttered, ripping the newspaper, which was the wrapping, off. It revealed to be a block of Fool's Gold, with a note attached to it. "Ha. Ha," Hiei read flatly. "That fool..." He picked up the block, which was very light. He threw it in the air a couple of times before he suddenly threw the block of 'gold' at the door.

It shattered, making tiny pieces of gold hit the wooden floor with a hushed _tinkle, tinkle._ Hiei grunted as he got his things together. He glanced at the clock, which read 6:52.

"Hn. Time to go home." He walked away from the desk, carrying a briefcase. He grasped the door knob, which felt colder than ice.

"Bye guys!" a cheerful voice called out to some of the employees. The people smiled and nodded in response. Hiei scoffed as he walked silently passed his employees.

"Have a Happy Christmas!" a joyous tone said as Hiei walked by a cubicle. He peered in, seeing a woman with long, cotton-candy pink hair that was tussled.

"Hn," was his response. The girl looked a bit down, but she managed to keep the smile on her face.

Hiei opened the door, not fazed by icy wind that nipped at his cheeks when he got outside. He walked on the slippery sidewalk, not even worried about slipping down, as many kids and a few adults were doing.

Then, he heard a hoarse voice. No, two hoarse voices. And perhaps a tin can with pocket change? Hiei turned around and saw two sickly, thin men.

One of the men was a tall, unusually tanned man with a pale blue Mohawk. The hair was _losing _it's color. And he was holding out the tin can. It read 'Change'. But the man looked so miserable. He must not have eaten in days, maybe. And he wore drab clothing. Most of his chest was showing. But what caught the most attention was his ribs sticking out. He really _was _skinny.

And the other one had pale blue hair, with four light green bangs. He was sick, Hiei could tell. His stomach showed, and it looked even worse the the taller man. He was trying to get pedestrians to try and give him and his friend their spare change, and very few people had been kind enough to give them their spare change. And this man seemed to be more jolly. Hiei felt sickened at the sight.

"H-hey Mister," the smaller man said in a hoarse, but still joyous tone, "d-do you have a m-moment?" Hiei's lips twitched upward as he tried to stop a smirk from showing.

_"Surely," _Hiei thought, _"he isn't asking me." _But the man's hopeful eyes were staring at him, like they were examining him.

"M-Mister?" he said again. Hiei's face fell. He _was _talking to him.

"Well, what?" Hiei snapped, placing his hands on his hips. The man still had a smile on his face.

"W-would you mind donating s-spare ch-change?" he stuttered, the wind numbing his whole body. The other man, with the tin can, looked at his accomplice like he was crazy. Hiei was amused.

"And why should I do that?" he dared to ask in an icier tone. His tone was even cloder than the weather, which cause the two thinly men to frown. The blue Mohawk man growled as the other man seemed on the verge of tears.

"Touya, don't even botha," the man said, turning his tanned, bony back to Hiei, crossing his arms as he did so. Touya sighed sadly. The three men stayed silent until Touya made his decision.

"Umm, O-OK Chu, whatever you say," he merely said as his attention averted to a woman with a baby girl. As soon as they weren't staring at Hiei, he snickered at their sight.

"Imagine me, the great Hiei Jaganshi, _begging _for money," he inwardly muttered, still amused by Touya and Chu and their begging for money. "Talk about a sob-fest..." He walked down the sidewalk again. Suddenly, he bumped into a teenage boy, aging around thirteen to fifteen, and he was singing.

This boy had oily black hair, with dark beady eyes, and dressed in scary black clothes. Hiei merely scowled at the sight before a glare took place as the boy sang;

"Oreta tsubasa wo habatakase  
Subete wo keshsite mise you  
Itsu no hika owari womukaeru  
Saigo no kanega nari yamu made!" Hiei's nose wrinkled upwards as he pushed the teen to the ground.

"Stupid kid!" he barked. The adolecent howled painfully, looking up towards the short man. He growled at the Jaganshi twin. "You don't scare anyone," Hiei said, closing his eyes as he glided away. The teen slowly stood up, shaking his head in a disapproving way.

"Come on, Ryuu. That so-called 'man' will get his just desserts. Just keep walking," he told himself as he glared at Hiei. But Hiei didn't hear him as he hunched his shoulders. Now the icy man was getting cold.

As the freezing wind nipped the cold man's face, he looked up at a huge, beautiful house. It _is _the most exclusive house in the whole town, causing Hiei to smirk as he dug into his jacket pocket to find his house key as he walked up the icy walkway.

He put the warm, bronze key inside the keyhole, hearing a _ka-chak, ch-chik _as he slowly turned it and pushed the oak door open. Hiei sighed gratefully as he shut the door silently and took off his leather jacket.

"Finally," he murmured in the utter silence, "home." Hiei took off his short and pants as he grabbed a black muscle shirt and some black shorts. He plopped down on his soft, snow white, _expensive _couch. His crimson eyes were flittering shut when he heard a low grumble.

"Ughh, I should probably _eat_," he mumbled as he stood up. Hiei walked into a light blue kitchen, where a refridgerator stood in erect. He grasped onto the handle and yank it open. He grabbed a bottle of Pepsi and closed it. He walked to one of the white cupboards and opened it.

"Mmm... Ah!" Hiei snatched a box of ramen noodles and closed the cupboards. "Haven't had these in ages."

"If you call three weeks ago ages," a sudden annoyed tone called out from behind, startling Hiei. He gasped as the box of ramen noodles fell to the ground. He whipped around, suddenly feeling sick.

"M-Mukuro?!" In front of Hiei, there was a woman with short, mahogany brown hair. Half her body was mechanical, while the other half had skin. She had her arms folded as she stared blankly at the man. She was sitting pretzel-style, yet she floated.

But what Hiei seem more fearful was the fact that Mukuro looked scary. She was chained up to chests of gold and silver coins, along with other riches that seemed like a dream come true, but boy, was _that _farther than the truth!

Hiei blinked and rubbed his eyes frantically.

"Mukuro, my ol' business partner?!" he asked, on the edge of tears. She nodded, not fazed by his shock and confusion.

Why?

Well, Mukuro is Hiei's _dead _business partner.

"Well Hiei, I'm cutting straight to the chase," the translucent figure said crossly. "I'm here to warn you about three apparitions you will meet at approximately 12:00 am." Hiei was in a state of initial shock. He started trembling as his mouth parted.

"A-are you _really _Mukuro?" he asked softly. Mukuro nodded, glaring at him.

"Did you not hear me? I said-"

"I heard what you said, you Bionic Bitch!" Hiei snapped. Mukuro growled loudly, causing Hiei to jump back in shock.

"You are lucky I'm dead!" Mukuro shot back. "Anyway, the three apparitions you'll meet are going to show you three things: the past, the present, and the future," she said firmly, holding up three of her fingers slowly. Hiei nodded quickly, understanding what Mukuro was saying, but somehow, not believing it.

"M-Mukuro," Hiei said, holding up his hand. "Am I dreaming, or is this _real?_" Mukuro blinked before sighing.

"That's the million dollar question." She slowly began to dissolve.

"Mukuro!" Hiei shouted, extending out his hand. Mukuro shook her head.

"Oh, Hiei." Hiei snapped his head up, looking right into Mukuro's eyes. "You're gonna pay for that 'Bionic Bitch' comment!" Then, she was gone.

"YAAAAAAAAAH!!" Hiei sat right up, wiping his forehead with his shirt. He had broken out in a cold sweat and was hyperventilating. He looked around frantically, searching for any clues that may have shown that he wasn't asleep. It was 11:59 pm when his eyes scanned over the clock.

After finding no clues about a ghostly sighting, Hiei inhaled sharply and exhaled slowly.

"Oh Lord, it was _just _a dream." He plopped back down on the couch, his chest moving up and down in the pattern of his breathing.

_Dong, dong, dong, dong, dong, dong, dong, dong, dong, dong, dong, dong..._ The dull clock rang loudly as Hiei wiped his forehead. He frantically looked around, seeing nothing. He let out a small chuckle.

"S-she lied."

"You're an idiot!" a raspy voice snapped suddenly. Hiei jerked, falling off the couch. He landed on his buttox and he rubbed it, clenching his teeth.

"Now what?!" he yelled, looking up. His ruby eyes widened at the sight of an old woman with long, curly, pale pink hair. She was also translucent, like Mukuro, and looked angry. Hiei scowled.

"Who in God's name are you, Old Woman?!" he snarled, standing up, still feeling a pain on his backside. The woman grunted.

"I'm Genkai, the Ghost of Christmas-Fucking-Past!" she replied in an angry tone. "I'm here to show _you _what the hell you did wrong to make your life miserable as possibly now! You hear me, boy?!" Hiei nearly sank to his knees when he heard that. He merely nodded, then felt himself being lifted off the ground.

"What the fu-"

"Quiet!" Genkai barked, snapping her fingers. In the blink of an eye, the two were at a huge white palace, with its lights on and music blaring from the inside. Hiei blinked in amazement.

"How-... Where are we?" Genkai let out a cough before she responded.

"We're at the Palace of Kage," she replied in a softer tone. Hiei's beady eyes widened at the name.

"Th-this was when I-I... I met her..." Genkai nodded, smiling to herself as she folded her arms.

"Juri, am I correct?" He nodded as they both floated gently onto the earth. They peered into the crystal clear window, Hiei remembered this night. He was sixteen at the time of the party. His sister was invited, and she begged him to come along.

_"Where am I?" _he thought curiously. Then, he saw himself as a teen. Teen Hiei wore a black tuxedo. He was in a dark corner with his eyes closed. His back and his right foot were leaning against the wall. He looked like he wanted to leave.

"Well, you must have been social," Genkai spat out sarcastically. Hiei ignored her as he watched a fifteen year old girl. She had dark, aqua hair that was in a braided bun. She wore a baby blue, sequined dress that made her glow. She was beautiful.

She was dancing with many men, always putting on a fake smile when a new man took her hand to dance. But both Hiei and Genkai knew she longed for a _real _man. They saw it in her eyes.

Then, the two also saw her do a sideways glance towards the teen in the corner. Her lips twitched upward as she danced with the unidentified man. She stopped, making the man tilt his head in wonder.

"I apologize dearly, but I must stop dancing," the girl said politely. The man blinked before nodding sorrowfully. The girl let his hand go as she walked away, her heels clacking as she did so.

"Oh, this is the best part!" Genkai exclaimed. Hiei blinked at the memory before sighing.

"Hey you," the girl whispered lightly, sounding like an angel to the teen. His ears perked up, staring at the girl with wide eyes.

"Who are you?" he asked, a little shy. The girl giggled at his embarrassment.

"My name is Juri. Who are you?" The teen gulped.

"H-Hiei." Hiei, from outside the window, mentally slapped himself for acting like a loser.

"I was such an idiot when I was visibly embarrassed by a mere woman!" he shouted in agony. Genkai gave him a blank stare. Hiei stared at her with wild red eyes. She looked at her sides, then looked behind herself before pointing at herself with her pale, bony finger.

"You expect _me _to give you sympathy?" Genkai asked in fake astonishment. Hiei slouched, using his death glare on her. Genkai scoffed. "I'm dead already. So that's obviously not gonna work." Hiei grinded his teeth as his attention went back to inside the ballroom.

He saw the two teens dancing, and especially saw himself nearly trip over his own feet! The teenage Hiei blushed furiously as he tried not to fall on the angel named Juri, who giggled.

"Man, I look too much like an idiot," Hiei inwardly muttered, though Genkai heard him clearly. She clicked her tongue.

"Well, after you two dance, a sap-fest turns on and you two kiss and become hitched. Want me to go to the time period where you screwed up everything?" she asked flatly. Hiei didn't respond. He knew when he screwed up. "OK, we're leaving." The apparition snapped her fingers and they were in a different time period.

"Five years later," Hiei said briskly. "This is December 24th, Christmas Eve," he added knowingly. Genkai gave him a funny look.

"OK, you're obviously a sad little man," she said in a disapproving way. Hiei grunted.

"Hiei, please. We can't buy this place!" Juri, at age twenty, yelled in a furious tone. Hiei, at age twenty-one, scoffed.

"We can _so _buy this house! It's up for grabs, and is a _little _expensive-"

"Oh, a _little _expensive?! It's nearly twenty thousand dollars!" Juri snapped, cutting Hiei off. Hiei in present time knew _exactly _what was coming up next.

"Don't, you fool!" Hiei bellowed, his face falling. Hiei in the past crossed his arms in a firm way.

"Well Juri, you'll have to make a decision; Do you wanna stay with me, a rich business man who's given you everything, or do you wanna make your own living?" he asked his wife in a bored tone. Hiei in the present clenched his teeth and dugs his nails into his palms as he flexed his hands into fists.

"Y-you bastard!" Hiei shouted, his eyes tightly closed. Juri blinked in shock at what her husband just told her. Tears were brimming at the corners of her eyes as her lip stuck out a bit. She immediately bit her lower lip.

"T-then I guess we're taking o-our own ways," she said in a voice barely above a whisper. Both of the Hieis' eyes widened. Juri huffed as she turned her back to him, trudging away from her now ex-husband.

"J-Juri!" Hiei yelled, but he knew his cries went unheard. The younger Hiei had simply turned his soles and walked towards a woman wearing a business dress.

Genkai and Hiei remained silent as Hiei saw his first and only love walk away with tears painted on her cheeks. Genkai curled her bony fingers up into a fist and she coughed into it.

"Well, this was your major screw-up that caused you two be a heartless, icy bastard you are today," she said unenthusiastically, staring at the Jaganshi with half-closed eyes.

"I broke a promise," Hiei said meekly, staring at the ground. Genkai gave him a funny look.

"Huh?" Hiei blinked, his eyes looked dialated as he spoke.

"At the altar, I made a vow that I wouldn't make her cry." Genkai tilted her head slowly, blinking. The wind blew, but it went right through their translucent bodies.

"Well, that sucks," Genkai said after a long moment of awkward silence. Hiei shook his head. "Well, wanna go back to your place in the future?" Hiei didn't reply again, making Genkai turn a cherry red color in the face, even though she was a ghost. "Deaf bastard," Genkai said in a furious tone as she snapped her fingers loudly.

Hiei and Genkai were back inside Hiei's home, but he wasn't happy. Hiei seemed even _more _depressed. Genkai whacked his head, setting him off.

"Hey, you old bitch! What the hell?!" Hiei screeched. Genkai shrugged.

"You deserved it," she responded as she started to evaporate into thin air.

"W-wait! Am I dreaming?" Hiei asked as Genkai began to disappear.

"What the hell do you think?! And you're still a dumbass!" Genkai yelled before she was gone. Hiei growled.

"I never get answers!" he shouted in rage, banging his head against the wall, leaving a huge dent in it. His forehead was bleeding. He was crazy.

That's when he took a look around the room.

"We were gone for about a half hour," he muttered as he struggled to find the clock. He found the dusty, old clock and his eyes widened.

The clock read 12:01 am.

"Whoa! What the hell?!" he screeched, rubbing his eyes constantly. "I'm dreaming. It's all a dream," he kept telling himself.

"Wow, Genkai was right," an airy voice said next to Hiei. He nearly jumped out of his skin as he slowly craned his head to see a translucent figure. She had long, autumn brown hair with an unlit cigarette hanging from her light pink lips.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?!" Hiei hollered, his face turning red as beads of cold sweat dripped from his forehead. The figurecovered her ears and she clenched her teeth.

"I'm right next to you!" she screeched angrily. "And I am Shizuru, the Ghost of Christmas Present!" Shizuru introduced herself.

"Oh..." Hiei thought about what Mukuro had said.

_"The three apparitions you'll meet are going to show you three things: the past, the present, and the future."_

Hiei thought long and hard as Shizuru began to explain what she was going to show the cold man.

"Hey, are you even listening to me?" Shizuru asked anatagonistically.

"Huh? Yeah..." Shizuru let out a low growl.

"Then what did I just explain to you?" Hiei's head jerked up.

"That you were going to show me what's happening right now, on Christmas Eve!" Shizuru clapped in a non-enthusiastic way.

"Good job. Now..." She snapped her fingers, a flame suddenly appearing on the tip of her left pointer finger. She held to the cigarette and lit it. Hiei curled his nose up, smelling the cigarette smoke. Shizuru snapped her fingers again, this time, the two ended up at an especially small house.

"Well, here's our destination," she said smoothly, taking a long drag. Hiei covered his mouth and nose as he tried to peer through the dirty window.

"The hell?" Hiei said flatly, squinting to see the inside. He wiped it and saw what was inside. He gasped quietly at the sight;

Kurama Minamino was serving a very small turkey to his family, which consisted of a small, fragile woman with long, mint green hair that was in a low ponytail, held together by the only luxury she could afford; a silk, crimson ribbon.

Then, there was the three young ones. The eldest, Shizuru and Hiei knew, was a redhead with a cheerful, cheeky smile. He had cerulean eyes and his hair was an afro. He looked a bit thin, but still healthy, nonetheless. And he also wore a thin shirt and baggy shorts.

Then, there was a brunette with perfect brown eyes. Her hair must have been shoulder-length, if not, a little longer, which was held together in pigtails. She wore a black kimono as she talked with the eldest. She was more likely the middle child.

And after those two, there was a small girl. She was a duplicate of her mother. She had long aqua hair that fell down her back as she walked in with those crutches. Even though she was disabled, she had a smile on her face. The little girl wore a pink kimono as Kurama picked her up. She squealed in delight, obviously 'Daddy's Little Girl'.

"... Who are those kids?" Hiei asked, dumbfounded. He didn't want to hear those three words.

"They're your relatives," Shizuru answered calmly, inhaling on the cigarette.

"... My nieces and nephew?" Shizuru nodded, closing her eyes lightly.

"Since you were a bastard to Kurama and never asked him about your sister or poked and prodded through his life, he never told you that you had one nephew and two nieces," she explained airily. "And Kurama has made the oldest, Jin, work at a shoe-shining business to help support the baby of the family, Hina." Hiei blinked, heartbroken.

"... What's wrong with the young one?" he asked softly. Shizuru shrugged and inhaled deeply before answering.

"Hina just recently got in an accident that twisted her ankle. The Minamino family," Shizuru said smoothly as Hiei winced at the family name, "still need to pay for those crutches, which is why Jin is working. Hina can barely walk without those crutches, but she feels bad that 'Daddy' and Brother have to work, just because of her. She cries herself to sleep since the accident," Shizuru added.

"What happened?" Hiei asked, quirking an eyebrow. Shizuru sighed sadly.

"Some boys were making fun of her family, and she picked a fight with them. They were around fourteen to sixteen, whereas little Hina is eight," she whispered, nearly choking on her words. "They didn't hurt her too bad, but they _did _push her down a steep hill. She twisted her ankle as she caught herself from falling." Hiei clenched his teeth.

"And Kurama and Yukina did _nothing _about it?!" he screeched. Shizuru shook her head quickly, waving her hands in front of her face frantically.

"No way, Hiei! Hina told her parents that she slipped down a hill and twisted it that way!" she explained briskly. "She didn't wanna make Kurama feel bad about the name-calling behind his back." Hiei froze in place. Hina was _exactly _like her mother.

"... She did?" The transparent figure nodded, inhaling deeply on the cigarette. Hiei shook his head as Shizuru opened her mouth, taking out the cigarette.

"Yeah, but the little one always has a smile on her face, even during the hard times," Shizuru hinted, doing a sidways glance on the Jaganshi twin. She shrugged. "But whatever." Hiei blinked a few times, pressing his face against the cold, smeary, dirty window.

The two remained silent as they watched the family grab small portions, yet keeping cheeky, dimpled smiles on their faces. Hiei frowned at the sight when suddenly...

"Oh no! What about Shura?!" he yelled, turning his full attention to the ghost. Shizuru shrugged and snapped her fingers. They now floated in front of a huge white house, where the lights were turned on. Music was blaring from the inside, and more and more people walked or parked their cars on the driveway.

It all seemed like a regular holiday party, Hiei knew. He peered into the clear glass window, and saw men and women scattered about, drinking wine, having a blast. And then, his eyes averted to a little boy who stood in the corner, eating a stew silently.

"... Is that-?" Shizuru nodded glumly.

"Your nephew," she said. "He had hoped for someone to be there, but," Shizuru said, closing her eyes and shrugging, "he didn't show up because this man claimed he got gastritis from the famous stew Shura made. Sad, isn't it?"

Hiei didn't respond, gloomily knowing who Shizuru was hinting at. The two remained silent as the soft white flakes gently fell from the icy, night sky. Hiei snapped his head up suddenly.

"Take me home!" he demanded. Shizuru gave him a funny look, but snapped her fingers.

They were inside the Jaganshi's house, where it was nice and warm, yet it was so... _isolated. _Hiei jumped onto his couch, grabbed a maroon colored pillow, and buried his face in it, hoping everything he saw was a dream and that he'd wake up _anytime now._

Shizuru wrinkled her nose in disgust as she slowly evaporated into thin air, but she managed to yell out;

"Get your small ass up!" He slowly took the pillow off his face and scanned the room. No sign of _anything._

"It's just a dream... It's just a dream..." he whispered, sitting upward and hugging his knees as he rested his chin on them. He felt something wet on his kneecaps. His eyes looked donward and saw a warm, wetness take place on his knees; Hiei Jaganshi, someone who had _never _shown tears, was crying.

"HIEI JAGANSHI!!" a deep, dark voice bellowed suddenly, making Hiei nearly jump out of his skin. He snapped his head up, glaring at the hallway.

"WHAT NOW!?" Hiei hollered, growing red in the face. Then, he saw a _huge _shadow in the hallway. It was shaped almost like a monster, with long, hairy arms and a huge, bulbous head. Hiei fell off the couch and slowly backed away from the shadow.

"Shit, shit, shit," he chanted under his breath. As the figure got nearer, Hiei held his breath, making his cheeks puff out. Then, he shut his eyes tightly as the figure snapped its fingers and, as quickly as it could, appeared before Hiei. Hiei let out a whimper as he slowly dared to open one eye. It was... It was...

Hiei's left eye twitched as he saw the translucent person in his _full form_.

"A stupid toddler?!" he howled, standing up angrily. "I was worried that a _toddler _would kill me?!" It was true, though.

A toddler, sporting a huge, bulb-like, pale blue hat with the words 'JR' engraved on it and was also wearing a matching blue outfit, had appeared before Hiei. The toddler-like ghost had his eyes squinted as he examined Hiei, while he ranted and reved.

"And who the hell are you?" he yelled suddenly. "The Ghost of Christmas Future?" Hiei asked in a mocking tone. Then, _WHACK!!!_

The ghostly toddler had given the boy a good whack on the head as an angry vein appeared on the back of his head.

"I am Koenma, the Ghost of Christmas Future!" Koenma snapped, holding up his fist in an offensive way. "I'm the ghost that'll show you what's gonna happen if you keep up your attitude like it is now!" he added. Hiei held his head as he remembered what the first two ghosts had showed him.

Hiei didn't respond to Koenma, only nodding his head. Koenma and Hiei stared at each other, their beady eyes looking deep into each other's minds, strangely.

"... Wait a second," Hiei started after a long period of silence, "if you're from the future-"

"Don't ask. I know I'm supposed to be a mute, but I just can't explain why I can talk," Koenma explained solemnly. Hiei blinked, then sighed.

_"Well, at least he answers questions," _Hiei thought as he stared at the toddler ghost.

"Hey, how old are you?" Hiei asked quizzically. Koenma blinked a few times before shrugging.

"Over six hundred years old," he answered coolly. Hiei blinked before a bewildered expression took place. He pointed an accusing finger at him.

"Y-yeah right! T-that's impossible!" Hiei stuttered, awkwardly smirking. Koenma smirked himself, shrugging.

"Y'know, someone once told me that 'Nothing is impossible'!" he quipped. "So..." Hiei jumped back, well away from the apparition before him.

"S-so, y-y-y-you're _really _over six hundred years old?" Hiei asked, a bit frightened. Koenma slowly nodded, taking the binky out of his mouth. The drool made it looked like a rope that connected the pacifier to the toddler's mouth.

"Technically speaking, yes." Koenma popped the pacifier in his mouth. "But have no fear, I won't hurt you badly. I'm just here to do my job," Koenma said with a smirk as he snapped his fingers.

Thunder echoed in Hiei's ears, making a ringing sound inside. Hiei held his ears, then examined where he exactly _was. _It was a ghastly, void place.

_"A cemetary," _he thought immediately. It was true. Scattered about the ground was what seemed to be never-ending, dull grave stones.

"Well, you _do_ know where we are, right?" Koenma asked so suddenly that Hiei snapped his neck lookijng up, causing him to cringe.

"Y-yeah, we're at a cemetary," he muttered, rubbing his neck, which gave out more excruciating pain. "Damn..." Koenma chortled as he nudged at a certain grave site.

"Would you go take a gander over there?" he asked Hiei softly. Hiei shook his head, causing the apparition to frown. "Go on." Hiei sighed in a frustrated way as he treaded towards the grave.

When he reached his destination, he saw the grave stone was also a void, dark, scary sight. It was covered in dirt, blocking out the words engraved on the stone, with the few spiderwebs covering it as well, and the occasional spider running across the grave.

And _no one_ seemed to have visited the grave in quite some time. All that was there was a mound of dirt and some stone. Not a flower, or anything. Hiei cringed.

"Hey toddler, what the hell kinda sick joke is this?" Hiei hollered, a glare taking over his face. Koenma shrugged, lightly closing his eyes, as if he were thinking.

"How about rubbing the dirt and cobwebs off, and reading the stone?" he asked, no emotion in his voice. He seemed fazed by something, Hiei could tell, but he decided not to question it. "Rub it off!" Koenma suddenly snapped. Hiei seemed a bit taken back, but nonetheless, he turned around, got on all fours, and wiped the dirt off the cold stone.

As soon as Hiei wiped off most of the cold earth off of the grave, fog formed around the burial site, causing Hei to shiver. He squinted his beady eyes and they nearly popped out at the words.

It read;

**_Hiei Jaganshi_**

"S-Spirit!" Hiei yelled, falling backwards and landing on his buttox. But pain was elsewhere when Hiei fell. Koenma floated towards Hiei, his arms folded. The toddler apparition grabbed Hiei's chin and brought it close to his own face.

Koenma stared deeply into the Jaganshi's eyes, which looked dilated and void. The rich man seemed so lost, all in the blink of an eye. The apparition sighed.

"Hiei?" the translucent toddler said quietly, trying not to frighten Hiei. Hiei's eyes blinked, and they seemed to get its color back as Hiei, wobbly, stood up.

"T-Toddler, w-will I really d-d-die?" Hiei asked in a fearful voice. Koenma nodded.

"Everyone dies, but only very rarely people will end up like your fate. Nothingness." Koenma clicked his pink tingue, shaking his head. "It's very sad." Hiei shook his head profusely.

"N-no! I-I..." Hiei gave Koenma a begging look, but was met with silence. "T-take me home!" Hiei commanded crossly. Koenma merely shrugged as a snap was heard, and, with a flash of lightning, the two were long gone.

A thud was heard, and Hiei was squatting down onto the floor, looking clueless. Koenma was floating near a window, staring intently at the confused man.

"... Hiei," Koenma said awkwardly. "Are you, uhh... OK?" Hiei blinked before he jumped up, staring wildly at the last apparition.

"Koenma, what time is it?!" Hiei asked frantically as he snatched a thin black jacket and threw it over his head. Koenma blinked in surprise.

"Err..."

"Come on, tell me!" Hiei yelled impatiently as his head poked through the sweatshirt hole. Koenma gave a small smile before he answered;

"8:23 pm." The toddler apparition began to fade away, clapping lightly as he did.

_"Make your time last, Hiei," _Koenma thought as he disappeared. Hiei didn't bother to watch him leave as he grabbed a huge sack, his house keys, and ran out his door.

"I'm not too late!" he shouted as he ran through the slippery streets. Many bystanders watched Hiei with a funny look glued on their faces as he ran about.

"Puh-please, ma'am," a familar voice rang in Hiei's frozen ears. "C-Chu and I, we need money." Hiei wandered in a quiet, sneaky way into the seemingly empty alley.

"I apologize deeply, sirs," the woman said nonchalantly, "but I must go home. Goodbye." With that, she walked away, her heels crunching on the soft snow. She flicked Hiei away from her with her wrist, getting passed him without getting dirty. Hiei scowled at her sight.

_"Stupid old bitch," _he thought as he ran into Touya.

"Oof!" the two said, falling on their backs. Hiei seemed dizzy, but he stood up, trembling a bit. Chu caught sight of Hiei, and he snorted.

"What do you want?" Chu asked in a snobby voice. Touya eyed his friend, but said nothing. Hiei opened his mouth to speak.

"You must be angry at what I have said to you from awhile ago, and I apologi-" Chu cut him off, barking;

"We need not _your _apologies!" Touya gave Chu a bizzare look as Hiei bowed.

"I understand, but hear me out. I came to give you something Old St. Nick would have wanted you to have," he began, smirking as he took something out of the huge sack. Chu and Touya eyed the bag as Hiei took out a pouch.

Hiei handed the gray pouch to Chu, and he opened it. The Mohawk man stared into the pouch as startlement began to show on his face. Touya's eyes widened in excitement.

Inside the pouch contained many gold coins. Chu looked at the coins, then back at Hiei, and continued doing this in amazement. His jaw hung open, but no words could possibly come out. The man was speechless.

"Here, take it. You need it much more than I," Hiei answered after a long silence. Chu and Touya both beamed as they nodded profusely, thanking the now more-open man.

"We can't thank you enough!" Touya said, a little saddened. Hiei flicked it off with his wrist.

"No need for anything," he replied as he ran away from the spot. Touya tried to flag him down, but Chu lightly grabbed his friend's wrist.

"Doncha worry, Touya. I believe that he's doing something good for someone else," he explained. Touya blinked before he nodded slowly, stepping towards his friend as he watched Hiei run.

"Come on, Hiei. Remember where Cratchit's house is!" Hiei told himself in an impatient voice. He looked around frantically, ignoring the pain in his neck, until he saw the little house he saw with the Ghost of Christmas Present, Shizuru.

"Come on, children, time for supper!" a familiar cheery voice called from inside the house. Hiei pressed his left side of his face against the cold, wooden door, struggling to listen.

"Yes Father!" called two equally cheerful voices, one a boy's, the other a girl's.

"OK Daddy!" a small, soft voice called out, followed by clacks of crutches hitting the floor. Hiei winced as he slowly clenched his fist and held it to the door.

He hesitated, wondering if what he _really _knew what he was doing. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply before he knocked on the door softly.

"I'll get it!" the soft voice quipped as the hurried clacks of the crutches got nearer, and nearer, and nearer to the door. "Who is it?" Hiei didn't respond. "Hello?" a curious tone called out. "Who are you?"

"Your uncle," Hiei finally responded, stuffing his hands in his pockets as the sack he was carrying fell to the ground. A quiet gasp of surprise was heard as the door flung open.

The little girl, Hina, Hiei remembered, stood at the entrance, shock filling her crimson eyes. The two stared at each other before a familiar, yet worried voice called out;

"Hina?!" Footsteps were heard, and in the blink of an eye, Kurama stood at the door, looking weary as he recognized his boss. He lightly grabbed Hina and pulled her close.

"Err, Boss!" Kurama said as he gently pushed Hina aside. "What are you, ahh, doing here? And how do you know where I even _live?_" he asked quizzically. Hina watched the two as she pointed at Hiei joyfully, a small smile forming on her face.

"That's Jin's, and Keiko's, and my uncle!" she chirped. Kurama blinked as he took a step back, leading Hina into the kitchen. As the little girl left, Kurama turned to face Hiei, the color draining from his face as he spoke.

"You knew?" he squeaked out. Hiei shrugged and coolly replied;

"I just found out tonight." He was so calm, Kurama noticed, as he blinked in astonishment.

"Uhh... You aren't mad?" he asked reluctantly. Hiei shrugged again.

"At first, I was," he started, causing Kurama to tremble, "but then I realized _why _you kept the secret from me from... a friend. That's when I understood." Kurama coughed into his fist.

Silence broke out as the pair didn't talk. They could both hear plates being set on the table before Hiei spoke again.

"I need to apologize," he started, causing Kurama to perk up. "I haven't been treating you like I should have for the past few years, with respect, I mean." Kurama understood and nodded. "And, I've actually come to bring your family something I know you'll make use of." Kurama gave his boss a confused look.

"Well, uhh... Would you like to-?" Kurama gestured inside the kitchen, and Hiei nodded silently, taking off his wet boots. The pair walked into the small kitchen/dining room and saw Kurama's family setting up the table.

Keiko, Jin, and Yukina's backs weren't facing the doorway, so they thought nothing of it, but Hina waved profusely when she saw the two. Kurama smiled as he walked towards his family. Hiei gulped as he slowly followed his employee.

"Uncle! Daddy!" Hina said innocently. Hiei froze, as well as his twin sister. Kurama laughed nervously as he fanned himself with his slender hand.

"Hey Yukina, but Hiei was at the door," he said nervously. Yukina dropped the plate when she saw her brother. Jin caught the glass plate in mid-air while staring at his mother's brother.

"Ah! H-Hiei!" she said, turning around and straightening out her light blue kimono. "Err, what b-brings you here on Christmas Eve?" Hiei shrugged.

"Just thought... I should drop by..." Jin stared at Hiei and spoke up.

"No need ta be mean, Mis'er, but who are ya?" he asked meekly. Keiko and Hina turned their heads to stare at their brother. Hiei, for a split second, smiled before answering.

"Not rude at all. I'm Hiei Jaganshi." Jin and Keiko's eyes widened. They stared at Yukina, then to Hiei.

"Urk!" Yukina groaned, covering her eyes.

"Mom, is Hiei your brother?" Keiko asked sweetly. Kurama pulled Hiei to the side and started to explain.

"Yukina never showed any pictures of you, but she told Keiko, Jin, and Hina that she had a twin brother," he whispered. Hiei blinked before he nodded glumly.

"Err, Hiei?" Yukina's voice asked lightly. "Would you like to... join us for supper?" Her brother blinked before he ran away. "Hiei!"

"I'll be back! I forgot something!" he yelled as the door slammed. Kurama, Jin, Keiko, and Yukina jumped. Hina waved as she went back to setting the table, humming.

Yukina and the others watched as Hiei ran. Hina looked up at her family and smiled.

"Don't worry, everyone!" she chirped. "Uncle will be back! Jus' wait an' see!"

Hiei ran away from the small house and into the icy streets. He looked around frantically and saw exactly what he was looking for\:

A butcher shop. He ran briskly across the dark, icy road and into the the butcher shop. Bells jingled lightly as he shut the door. Inside the shop was a dim light above a dark pink counter.

Behind the counter stood an enormously beefy man. He wore a white T-shirt as he cut different types of meat. He was specifically cutting pork as he put cow beef into a squeaky meat grinder.

Without looking up, the man asked Hiei what he wanted. He sounded rather annoyed. Hiei bowed in respect before answering.

"I apologize for bothering you on Christmas Eve, but I would like the largest goose you have for sale. Then I'll be on my way," he said in a calm voice. The man, still not looking up at Hiei, raised his eyebrows.

"OK, whatever," the man said gruffly as he stopped cutting meat and grabbed a brown towel. He wiped his hands with it as he waddled into the back storage room. Hiei was inside the room alone, which made Hiei feel creeped out.

His ruby eyes wandered to the counter, and he saw the pork and other meat. Crimson blood was painted on the counter as it oozed from fresh meat, slid over to the edge of the counter, and dripped, staining the tile floor. Hiei cringed and his nose twitched.

"Here ya go, Mistah," the man said suddenly, frightening Hiei a bit. Hiei stared at the man and saw his prize. He grabbed it and paid for it. Hiei carried the ponderous meat as he walked outside the shop.

The wind nipped out his rosy cheeks as he walked slowly. Hiei was about to turn towards Kurama's house when his attention averted to a toy store.

Neon red lights flickered as he read the sign. It read 'OPEN'. Hiei looked at the package, then back at the store. His bottom slowly had a ribbon of blood slide down his chin. He wiped it away as his lips twitched upward. He walked towards the store and yanked the door open...

"It's been nearly twenty five minutes," Yukina said, exasperately. Kurama embraced her, whispering in her ear that Hiei will come. Then, a knocking at the door was heard. Hina grabbed her crutches and walked as fast she could towards the front door.

The fragile door swung open and a squeal of delight came from Hina. Jin and Keiko raced to the door and bursted out laughing. Yukina and Kurama paced themselves as they walked to the door. Yukina gasped and covered her mouth. Kurama covered his mouth and turned away, doing his best not to laugh.

Hiei was wearing a Santa Claus outfit, with the white beard and all, with a huge bulky sack. He also held something that was bloody. Yukina graciously took it and hugged her twin tightly, which startled the man. But he hugged her back and Yukina left to the kitchen, carrying the heavy meat.

Kurama patted Hiei on the head. Hiei clenched his teeth.

"Don't take me like this for granted, Minamino," he said, "because I expect you at work tomorrow." Kurama brought his hand back quickly, the color draining from his face. Hiei snickered. "Joking." Hina giggled as Kurama breathed a long sigh of relief before chuckling.

"So, where shall I put the gifts?" Hiei asked quizzicaslly, looking around. Jin took Hiei's elbow gently and offered to show him where. Hiei followed the eldest of the Minamino children.

Hina and Keiko left into the kitchen as Kurama followed his boss and his son...

After an hour of wrapping the gifts, Kurama and Hiei appeared in the kitchen, both smiling lightly. Jin was pouting in his chair because Hiei and Kurama refused to let Jin wrap his own presents.

Kurama inhaled deeply and smiled widely as he walked towards his wife while Hiei sat himself down next to Jin and Hina. Kurama pecked Yukina's cheek as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Smells good," he whispered dreamily. Hiei raised an eyebrow at the affections, but said nothing. Hina smiled at her uncle, which caught Hiei's attention.

"Thank you, Uncle, for being here on Christmas Eve," she said sweetly, Hiei bit his lip as he rubbed her silky hair.

"You're welcome, Little One..." Then, a clatter of glass was heard. Hiei jumped up and saw glass on the floor. Yukina's eyes widened as Kurama bent down and picked up the pieces of the shattered glass cup.

"Are you OK?!" Hiei and Jin asked simultaneously. Yukina nodded as she grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her left hand.

"I just cut myself with the glass, that's all," she said softly. Hiei felt a zing of pain reach his hand. He grabbed it and rubbed it, carressing the palm. Kurama had picked up most of the pieces of the shards, but he advised for nobody to stand up and walk around the area until he sweeped whatever was remaining away.

"Anyway Yukina, let me see your hand," Kurama asked gently, lightly grabbing Yukina's hand. "Hiei, can you please-"

"Where do you keep the bandages?" Hiei asked quickly, standing up. Kurama smiled to himself.

"In the bathroom. It's in the back." The Jaganshi twin nodded and disappeared. A few seconds later, he reappeared, holding the thick gauze. Kurama thanked him and took the gauze.

"Think you could also serve up? I bet the kids are starving," Kurama said softly, washing Yukina's hand, who was trying not to cry out in pain. Hiei nodded and grabbed the volcanic hot plate that contained the goose. Hiei winced and nearly dropped the goose, but nevertheless, he walked to the dining room table and put the goose in the middle of the table.

"Thank you for being here, Hiei," Yukina said, hiding the pain in her voice as Kurama wrapped her hand. Hiei smiled, and nodded as the kids dug into the goose. Hiei didn't even need to serve up!

Yukina and Kurama sat down at the table a few minutes later. Both took their share of the goose and other delectables. Hiei took a few things to eat, but not alot. Kurama noticed this, but he was a bit fearful on what might Hiei say, so he decided not to bring up the food Hiei took.

The Christmas Eve dinner was full of talking, not silence, which Hiei sort of expected. He was a bit shy to talk, but Hina and Yukina coaxed him into talking with their family.

After getting stuffed with their faces, it was time to open presents. The kids all raced into the living room, leaving their parents and their uncle in the dust. Kurama and Yukina both jogged into the room, while Hiei took his time, walking ever so slowly to the room.

As soon as he walked into the living room, he was mauled with hugs by Hina, Keiko, and Jin. Only one of each of their presents were opened, but they were in love with them;

Keiko had opened one present, which was one of the medium sized presents, and got an outfit, which was a lavender sparkled shirt and a blue violet skirt. Jin had opened one present, which happened to be the biggest, and got a scooter. And Hina had opened her biggest present as well, and it had surprised the whole Minamino family;

It was a hospital boot, which was paid for. It would go over Hina's foot and she would be able to walk a little more comfortablely, which would also get Yukina and Kurama out of debt with the hospital, because then they could return the unpaid crutches. That was possibly the best present Hina ever got.

"Uncle Hiei, you shouldn't have!" Keiko, Hina, and Jin yelled in a joyous tone as they continued to rip apart the wrappings to reveal even more luxurous things that the children had never even been able to experience.

Hiei would silently gush as the kids laughed in joy with their new things. Then, he turned his attention towards his sister and brother in-law. Yukina was sitting on Kurama's lap, and Kurama was leaning against the wall. They blinked as Hiei folded his arms.

"Don't you two even think that I forgot you," Hiei said firmly as he walked towards them, taking out a bag from behind the small Christmas tree. Yukina's eyes widened in amazement as Kurama quirked an eyebrow.

"Merry... Christmas," Hiei said, jokingly acting like he was in pain. Yukina and Kurama exchanged glances as Kurama's hand took the bag. Hiei slowly backed away and walked out of the room silently as Yukina and Kurama reluctantly opened the bag. Hiei quickly grabbed his soaking shoes and put them on. He grabbed his sweatshirt and listened for the reaction.

"Open it," he mouthed. When he didn't hear anything, but the kids crying out in joy, he reached for the cold doorknob.

Before Hiei opened the door to leave, though, he heard gasps of surprise and shock.

_"The exact reaction I was hoping for," _he thought, smirking as he opened the door, stepped outside, and silently shut it. He walked onto the slippery roads. He looked around before he walked away from the house, hunching forward. The fresh snow fell and when his boots hit the ground, a soft crunching sound was heard.

"Merry Christmas," he said aloud, looking up towards the sky, "Mukuro, Shizuru, Genkai, and Koenma..." Before he walked out of seeing distance, the man stole a glance from Minamino's. He smiled inwardly before running away.

The gift he had given them?

Why, it was all the money he made that same day at work.

* * *

JJ: The End. (And sorry for the ending, we both didn't know how to end it ._.")

Mi-mama: (1) = Redemption by Gackt, which we don't own. :3

JJ and Mi-mama: Feedback is always nice! Have a Happy Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and a Happy New Year! _Mucho gracias _for reading!


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